This is the official webpage of the 138th FAB.
Constituted Jan. 21, 1839 in the Kentucky Militia as the Louisville Legion and organized at Louisville. The unit mustered into federal service May 17, 1846 as the first Kentucky Volunteer Infantry and mustered out of federal service May 17, 1847 at New Orleans, Louisiana. May 7, 1860 the unit reorganized in the Kentucky State Guard as the 1st Infantry Regiment (Louisville Legion) to consist of the Louisville Battalion and the Marion Rifle Battalion. 1st Infantry Regiment reorganized in July 1861 at Camp Joe Holt. Indiana, ‘with men of Union sympathy’ as the 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Infantry (Louisville Legion). Sept. 9, 1861 the unit mustered into federal service as the 5th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry (Louisville Legion) and mustered out of federal service Sept. 14, 1864 at Louisville. Between 1864 and 1904 the unit reorganized three separate times to fit the changing needs of the unit.
The Kentucky State Guard re-designated March 19, 1912 as the Kentucky National Guard. Under the name change the unit was called into federal service June 18, 1916 for service on the Mexican border and mustered into federal service June 25, 1916 at Fort Thomas. From 1968 to 1969, Kentucky Thunder served a 12-month tour in the Vietnam War. The unit has participated in every major conflict to date since 1839. The unit’s campaign participation includes Mexican War, Monterey, Buena Vista, Civil War (Union service), Shiloh, Murfreesborough, Chickamauga, Atlanta, West Virginia 1861, Mississippi 1862, Kentucky 1862, Tennessee 1862, Louisiana 1862, Indiana 1863, Tennessee 1863, Kentucky 1864, South Carolina 1865, Civil War (Confederate service), Henry and Donelson, War with Spain, Puerto Rico, World War I, Streamer without inscription, World War II, New Guinea, Leyte (with arrowhead), Luzon, Ryukyus, Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead), Tunisia, Sicily (with arrowhead), Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead), Anzio (with arrowhead), Rome-Arno, Normandy, Northern France, Southern France (with arrowhead), Rhine Land, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe, OEF and OIF. The unit headquarters is currently located in Lexington.
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